A school caretaker who survived a motorcycle crash has been reunited with the off-duty ambulance technician who helped save his life.

Malcolm Hoyle suffered horrific injuries in the head-on collision on the A5 at Betws-y-Coed last June, including a broken neck, back and shoulder, a fractured eye socket and a dislocated ankle.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Andy Davies was driving to work when he came across the collision, and administered life-saving first aid to Malcolm using a kit from his car until an ambulance arrived.

The pair kept in touch via text message through Malcolm’s recovery. Now, one year later, they have been reunited for the first time.

Malcolm, from Wrexham, said: “To say it’s a miracle I survived is an understatement. I credit Andy with my survival.”

Malcolm, 66, a caretaker at the town’s Ysgol Clywedog, was returning from a shopping trip in Betws-y-Coed when the collision happened.

Andy, 39, from Llanberis, said: “I was driving to Bala to start an evening shift when I hit a big traffic jam. I called our control room, who told me there’d just been a two-vehicle collision.

“I got as close to the scene as I could, and just saw Malcolm lying on the ground. He had massive injuries but he didn’t know it at the time, and was trying his best to convince me not to cut his leather jacket.

“I kept him still, which was a good job because we later learned he had a serious spine injury. I took his pulse, listened to his chest and controlled the bleeding from his face and hands. More than anything I just talked to him, and reassured him that help was on its way.”

Malcolm said: “I have no memory of the collision at all, except trying to persuade Andy not to cut my leathers off. I have a vague recollection of taking off in a helicopter but that’s it.

Malcolm was airlifted to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, where he spent more than three weeks. He also had a series of appointments at The Walton Centre in Liverpool, where he received specialist treatment for his spinal injury.